I’ve read 57 books so far in 2026. Some of them were fine. Some of them were good. And then there were the ones that made me cancel plans, skip sleep, miss my exit, and text everyone I know saying “you need to read this immediately.”
Picking a top 10 halfway through the year felt impossible because I have 9 five-star reads and at least a dozen four-stars I loved. But I forced myself to narrow it down to the books I genuinely could not stop thinking about after I finished them. The ones that changed what I was looking for in every book I picked up next. The ones I’d put in your hands right now if you were standing in front of me.
These aren’t ranked because I refuse. They’re all tens in my heart and I won’t be choosing a favorite child today. But if you’re looking for your next read, start anywhere on this list and you won’t be disappointed. I’ve also highlighted briefly why it’s a favorite and linked my review as well. You can also find this list in my Amazon and Bookshop storefronts.
Amazon Storefront | Bookshop
Here are my top 10 reads of 2026 so far.
I hope you find something to read, but if you are still looking for something else give my Most Anticipated Lists and some of my other Favorite Lists a look.
Everything I’ve Read in 2026 So Far
Summer 25 Most Anticipated
spring 25 most anticipated
2024 Favorites | 2023 favorites
2022 favorites | 2021 favorites
2026 First Half Top 10
- Her Last Breath | Taylor Adams | REVIEW
- Relentless pacing that had me holding my breath for the entire second half. The kind of thriller that makes you miss your exit on the highway and not even care. You will feel claustrophobic!
- The Anniversary | Alex Finlay | Review
- A missing persons cold case that unravels in the most satisfying way possible. Every twist felt earned and the ending had me staring at the wall. I loved the way it was told over 10 years and only on the same day.
- She Fell Away | Lenore Nash | Review
- This one crawled under my skin and stayed there. Atmospheric and unsettling in a way that made me genuinely uneasy reading alone at night.
- Mad Mabel | Sally Hepworth | Review
- Darkly funny, wildly twisty, and the female lead kept me guessing from the first page to the absolutely unhinged last one. The book that made me stay up until 2am because I HAD to know.
- This Story Might Save Your Life | Tiffany Crum | Review
- I did not expect this book to wreck me the way it did. It’s one of those stories that sneaks up on you and by the last chapter you’re a different person than when you started.
- Too Close to Home | Seraphina Nova Glass | Review
- The Burning Side | Sarah Damoff | Review
- Raw, emotional, and devastating. This is the book I think about when someone asks me what I’ve read this year that actually changed something in me.
- Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt | Review
- A lonely widow and a giant Pacific octopus and somehow it’s the most beautiful story about grief and second chances I’ve ever read. I cried the good kind of tears.
- Marion | Leah Rowan | Review
- Haunting and layered in a way that revealed something new every chapter. The kind of book that makes you sit in silence for a full minute after you finish.
- Headlights | CJ Leede | Review
CJ Leede blends supernatural horror with FBI procedural with Colorado winter wilderness and the writing pulled me in before I even fully understood what was happening. Dark, ambitious, and the ending is devastating.
I hope you found a book or books that you are truly excited about in this post. Let me know what books your favorite have been so far this year by commenting below or by messaging me on Instagram @speakingof_books or Tiktok @speakingof_books Don’t forget to follow me to get weekly updates and new reviews!